In the occupied West Bank, 63 Palestinian archaeological sites have been confiscated in a sweeping decision that strikes at the heart of cultural identity and heritage. The majority of these sites, 59, are located in Nablus, a city long considered the gateway to the northern region, with additional seizures in Salfit and Ramallah. By pairing the original Palestinian names with newly imposed Hebrew labels, the move seeks to legitimise the erasure and rebranding of centuries-old history.

Officials and experts warn that the decision is not about preserving antiquities but about reshaping the landscape to serve a political agenda. Palestinian heritage specialists have highlighted how the presence of the Samaritan community is being used as a pretext to claim historic ties, despite the distinct nature of Samaritan beliefs from official Judaism. They describe the policy as part of a broader strategy to annex and Judaise the West Bank, restricting Palestinian access to their own cultural landmarks and barring restoration or maintenance efforts.

The consequences of this policy extend far beyond historical distortion. Confiscated sites are often destroyed by the construction of settler roads and outposts, wiping out irreplaceable remains of shared human civilisation. Experts stress that even Israeli academic research disputes the occupation’s claims, yet the narrative of exclusive ownership continues to drive policy. What is unfolding is not merely the theft of stones and ruins, but the systematic erasure of a people’s cultural memory, leaving behind a landscape rewritten by force.